Sheriff’s Office tracks down home invasion suspects, arrests four

Investigators with Wise County Sheriff’s Office scoured North Texas yesterday and arrested four suspects allegedly involved with the violent Sept. 16 home invasion of an Alvord man. Three were arrested in Montague County and the fourth was tracked down in McKinney. Officers found suspect William H. Williams, 20, of Bowie, hiding in an attic of a friend’s home in Forestburg. Michael Hilt, 24, of Bowie was arrested Tuesday night in Bowie, along with Erica M. Gauna, 21, also of Bowie. And Robert A. Brown, 27, was arrested last night in McKinney. Video surveillance set up inside the 39-year-old victim’s home captured images of the three suspects, who were wearing what looked like surgical masks, breaking into his home in the middle of the night while he was asleep. Video showed the three, one who was armed with a knife, violently attacking the man in his bed, one striking him with a chair. But the victim fought back, and the assailants scattered almost as quick as they’d come. Gauna did not go into the victim’s house, but stayed outside in the vehicle during the robbery and was possibly the getaway driver.

Working on any tips and leads they could get, criminal investigators at Wise County Sheriff’s Office managed to track down and arrests all those believed to be involved 3 a.m. attack.

“Our entire CID team did a fantastic job working this case and taking any possible lead we had,” said Wise County Sheriff David Walker. “We had some people call after they saw the video.”

Walker said they are still trying to discover why the suspects picked out this particular home on Wickham Street.

“I still don’t believe this is a random crime,” Walker said. “There had to be some kind of connection.”

He said the suspects are all cooperating at this point. All four were taken to Wise County Jail and charged with burglary of a habitation. Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 Judge Teri Johnson set their bail at $150,000 each. They remain in custody.